Kai Lenny!

The event  attracted over 55 participants men and women and was hosted by Naish International and Suzie Cooney, fitness specialist, Naish Team Rider and owner of Suzie Trains Maui. To wow and inspire the crowd local Maui resident and recently crowned 2011 SUP World Champion, and Naish Team Rider, Kai Lenny also demonstrated his skills on the water and then

Suzie and Kai

showed off his nose riding techniques atop of the Indo Board gear that was available for people and the public to try. In addition to the Indo Board demo by Suzie Cooney and Indo Board Team Rider, Leighton Nakamoto , a TRX Fitness Rip Trainer demo was also conducted to show how it can be incorporated into one’s stand up paddling fitness training.

Suzie Cooney TRX Rip Trainer Demo

Stand up paddling is drawing great attention world-wide but is also helping people of all fitness levels to embrace a more healthy lifestyle. This non-competitive event was designed to challenge, inspire and bring people together in an environment that offered something different than racing without any pressure. The mission of Suzie Cooney and Naish and all of the wonderful volunteers was to provide a fun venue that offered a sort of bonding experience through a little literally, heart pounding action.

The course: 3 buoys in a triangle format marked the water action as a mass start began at the sound of a horn! Off to the first buoy paddlers were met by Maui’s own downwind champion, Jeremy Riggs who cheered and helped people navigate, some for their first time ever near a buoy, around turn number one. Then as paddlers began to spread out with some of the more experienced paddlers, such as Donnie McGean, Bill Hoffman and a few more in front,  it was time to land on the beach and begin the crazy fitness obstacle beach course that consisted of 4 stations with volunteers to cheer, encourage and assist if needed.

Donnie, crawling left, writes, ” As for the funniest moment it had to be trying to stand up and run after the taco rolls.  As for what I enjoyed the most, it was meeting new people that were interested in SUP.  My goal is always to give 100% and still have fun. As for what I found inspirational, it was that some of the best in the SUP world came out to help and share their knowledge and love of the sport.  Thanks again for a great event.”

Tweet

Donnie On the beach, participants hopped off their boards and ran to station number one, a 20 foot long  by 8 foot wide crawl area. Here people had their own unique strategy and style as they crawled, dove on their bellies or some on all fours under yellow caution tape.  Then up to their feet to run a zig-zag cone course, then drop immediately at the pushup station where Coach Leighton Nakamoto, resident of Makawao made sure people did 10! Boy,  was he tough!

The most spectacular entertainment of the day, was the sandy taco roll. Here, immediately after the pushups, participants had to drop and roll for

taco rolling

about 20 feet while trying not to get dizzy or roll into the ocean. Tommy Callan, creator of this station cheered and helped people up to their feet and guided them to the two Naish flags where one then had to run through and then run or jog back down the beach to get their boards and hit the water for one final lap and then one final spin through the course.

Although this was marked as a non-competitive event, one had to take notice of Maui’s Donnie McGean who managed to stay in front and finish in the lead. My other buddy and downwind training partner, Bill Hoffman of Pukalani was hot on his tail and finished 2nd. Everyone finished and everyone at this event were winners. Anyone who could simply finish this grueling course deserves a round of applause. I’m totally proud of all of them. People were laughing, grunting and looking at me with the look of  “you’ve got to be kidding”, but they kept going. It was great.

Visitors, spectators and anyone who happened to be on the beach that day could not believe what they were seeing and stuck around to join in on the cheering.

Salma

After the final finishers joined the others rinsing off all the sand in the ocean, all registered participants and volunteers had the chance to have their name drawn for wonderful prize raffle by companies and brands who support the sport and lifestyle. Naish, Indo Board, OluKai Premium Footwear, Kaenon Polarized Eyewear, TRX Fitness, Watermans Applied Science Sunscreen and Maui Ripper clothing company all generously donated fantastic gifts!

Lisa with OluKai Premium Footwear

Sam Bittner TRX Rip Trainer Winner

Alfred Kaeon Polarized Eyewear Winner

Leighton Loves Kaenon

I want to thank all the volunteers who got up before sunrise to help welcome everyone and greet everyone

Bill Indo Board Trainer Winner

with a huge smile and encouragement. Also a huge Mahalo to Kai Lenny for being you and an incredible inspiration to the sport and to us. In addition to the talented, brave photographers Simone Reddingius and Tracy Kraft Leboe for capturing so many awesome moments. Coach and Martin from the Naish Maui Pro Center for providing all of the cool 2012 new Naish boards for folks to try and to Tommy for helping me dream this event up. It’s his fault if some of you are still dizzy from the taco rolls.

Bill Hoffman ( 2nd person to finish ) writes:

“I wanted to say thanks for a great event and all the work you did. There were a lot of happy smiles there. I think it might be because it was none competitive. I enjoyed sharing the experience with my friend Alfred and winning a prize. At most events the guys out number girls 3 to 1 but at this event there were more girls than boys. It was nice to see them getting into SUP. The funniest moment was trying to walk straight after the Taco Roll.”

Stand up paddling is here to stay and it’s so cool to see it grow and offer a way to stay healthy, meet new people and enjoy the water. As some are still learning, it’s important to learn about water and ocean safety as well as how to be safe in a line up with other paddlers and especially surfers. Always be courteous, check your equipment, wear a leash and share the waves and throw a shaka now and then.

I also want to thank Naish International for helping me bring this idea to life and also to the Maui County for allowing us to offer an event like this to the public. We hope that our community and the island of Maui will continue to support and embrace events such as this.

Follow @SuzieTrainsMaui
If you or someone you know is visiting the island of Maui or if you live here and want to check out or rent the new line of Naish boards, contact Coach at the Naish Maui Pro Center at 808-871-1500 or go to their website:    Also, if interested in fitness training and especially SUP specific training while on Maui, you can reach Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trains Maui at http://www.suzietrainsmaui.com/contact/

Our talented Maui photographers Simone Reddingius and Tracy Kraft Leboe share their works here:

Simone: http://beachgirlmaui.blogspot.com/      Tracy: http://www.tracykraft.com/

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Sponsor Links:

Naish International

( Article written by Suzie Cooney, CPT for Naish International ) Direct link, click here.

Stand up paddling is no doubt taking the world by storm, and while you don’t need to be in the greatest shape to paddle, you’ll soon discover the benefits. As you begin to improve your technique, experiment with new gear and maybe decide to enter a race or wave competition, it’s a good idea to learn how to train in a balanced way to prevent injury so that you can enjoy paddling even more and stay on the water.

As the sport continues to evolve, and as a trainer who specializes in educating people how to paddle stronger and better improve their performance, I’d like to share with you first an overview of some of the known complaints and injuries that I’m seeing and helping people manage. I’ll also share with you many training strategies designed to help you better approach your SUP training in a balanced manor as a way to avoid injuries.

This article is part one of a two-part series that will illustrate a more in-depth review of the anatomy and how your muscles function while you paddle and how injuries might occur. Part two will be the actual exercises and training approach I recommend to help recover from some of these injuries and/or avoid them.

I’ve also gathered some helpful insight from one of our Naish Team Riders, Karen Wrenn, on how she trains to help her better perform. In addition, I’ll be highlighting another paddler, Kevin Vangritis from North Carolina and new racing competitor and long distance paddler, with his personal story and struggle with a unique injury and how he’s managed to come back on the water.

Common SUP Injuries

Overuse injuries and strains from SUP are common and include mostly the muscles of the shoulder and/or rotator cuff muscles, the knee joint, foot and ankle and low back. It’s good to have a knowledge base of the anatomy and function of each group so you can better adapt your SUP training to avoid these injuries. There may be more to mention, but in my practice and I too have experienced things such as a nagging bicep tendonitis issue in my right arm and on occasion after long distances over 20 miles, my traps (trapezius) have cramped a bit and my feet have fallen asleep.

photos by Simone Reddingius

Injuries that are more common where there are waves are fin lacerations to the extremities and face, paddle handles giving bloody noses (mine), and leash wrap-arounds I call them, that can cause sprains to fingers and other body parts from wrapping around you after a heavy wave wipe out. Also, as these boards are much heavier than surfboards for example, if you get hit in the head you could suffer a good blow or even a concussion. In addition, some super heavy hold downs at some of the bigger breaks can wreck havoc on your back and lower extremities.

Shoulder and Rotator Cuff Injuries:

Stand up paddling works a lot of muscles and is well known for being a great core workout. It also requires a lot of work from the stabilizers of the shoulder girdle. The paddle stroke is a combination of medial rotation and abduction (of the top hand). The deeper rotator cuff muscles included are the supraspinatus, subscapularis, infraspinatus and the teres minor. This requires the work of the subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, pec. minor, pec. major, and teres major along with deltoid and supraspinatus to lift the arm up. The bottom hand is mostly stabilizing to transfer the rotation of the trunk to the paddle the muscles used to stabilize are mainly latissimus dorsi rhomboids, triceps, and middle fibers of the traps.

One client complaint was that of a burning sensation radiating from his elbow up to his shoulder and down to his hand, and another, with numbness radiating down from his shoulder through his pinky finger.  These can be common nerve entrapment injuries with chronic tension and overuse of certain muscle groups.

Rhomboid & Trapeziums Strains:

The rhomboid muscles interact with and help support the shoulder blade. Your trapezius (also referred to as your “traps”) are the connective muscles from the neck to the head of the humerus or top of the shoulder, and are responsible for stabilizing your neck and shoulder while you paddle. These muscles require a great deal of endurance. This is also where we tend to hold our stress and the area that can fatigue and cramp up on long distance races. I often hear of muscle fatigue and recently of a tear of the rhomboid as described by Kevin Vangritis. Read more of his experience and how he recovered:

Kevin Vangritis is a friend of mine from North Carolina and is just getting into SUP racing. Over the summer, Kevin was training for a big 50+mile-long distance SUP crossing in Chicago (with Windy City Waterman and Matt Lennert). Prior to the race, he was helping a friend with an exercise and felt a pop near his right scapulae or shoulder blade. At the time, he thought that to simply take an anti-inflammatory and ice should do the trick.

I should note that Kevin is in amazing shape and has a very consistent, well planned and executed training and paddling routine, so this was a bit of a surprise. Kevin is also well versed in the field of sports orthopedics as he assists surgeons and medical teams and knows the anatomy which is also helpful when recovering from an injury.

He writes, “Over the next couple of days, I began to develop a large knot in my trap as well as radicular pain down my right arm into my hand, which was my major concern. This is a classic sign of a herniated cervical disc. The knot began to limit mobility in my neck. Our endurance paddle of crossing Lake Michigan was fast approaching, and I had to come up with a plan to get better. I completely stopped training both on the water and in the gym and continued using anti-inflammatories as well as heat. I showed up for the crossing on August 21st. We had very unfavorable conditions that day for the 50 plus mile paddle with 8-12 foot chop and 30 mph plus winds on Lake Michigan. We decided to go for it anyway without the support of our chase boats and Coast Guard. For four hours straight, we paddled hard against the wind and waves. We decided to call it a day due to safety concerns and knowing that the conditions were just too dangerous to continue without our support team in place.

After the paddle, there were a few large knots on my back that now involved my rhomboid on the right side. Upon returning home, I consulted a physician who diagnosed me with a torn trapezious and rhomboid. Apparently, this is a fairly common injury in this sport. He felt my best course of action would be seeing a sports medicine physical therapist. I spent the next six weeks in PT, attending two sessions each week. Each session, my regimen included a deep tissue massage, electric stimulation, heat therapy as well as cervical traction. I was given simple upper body exercises and stretching to do at home that kept my injured muscles isolated.  Each visit, we added a few new exercises to my routine.

I am 10 weeks out at this time and have just one small knot that still has not released itself and the radicular pain is 95% better. In the next week, I plan to try acupuncture therapy to try and release the one small knot. Since my injury, I paddled for the first time two weeks ago doing 2-3 mile paddles at a moderate pace. Although my weights are still a bit lighter than I normally use, I am slowly getting back to a more normal exercise routine. It is really important to listen to your body. I feel if I had not tried to push myself on Lake Michigan, my recovery would probably have been 3-6 weeks instead of the 10 plus weeks I have endured. Before the injury, I was enjoying a very successful year of racing and am now focused on and looking forward to being ready by spring to begin competing once again.”

Kevin will be on Maui this month and I’ll be checking him out in my training studio and on the water. We’ll be fine tuning him and making sure his training is in check and balanced. Thanks Kevin. Hang in there and keep up the good work!

Bicep Tendonitis:

Simply stated, this is where inflammation or tenderness occurs at the head or top of the bicep tendon due to weakness and overuse. I suffer from this sometimes after a downwind race or while I’m in intense training. This long, chord-like tendon connects the upper end of the biceps muscle to the bones in the shoulder. This muscle is responsible for extending your outward as you reach for the nose of your board with your paddle.

Since I’m right-handed, this is obviously my stronger paddling arm and tends to take most of the load. I often feel tingling, burning and soreness. Usually it is a result of weakness of the rotator cuff muscles. Icing helps me as well as good old rest.

I’ll discuss in more detail how to strengthen this area and the supportive muscles in the next article.

Knees:

The knees young and old can often take a beating, but SUP is probably quite mild on them compared to other high-impact sports like running, dirt biking or soccer. Sometimes old injuries from some of these pounding sports can show up when paddling. But for most, stand up paddling is incredibly gentle and great for the knees.

We all have our own unique paddling styles and types of conditions to manage that can also lead to imbalances of the joint and ligaments that stabilize the knee. For example, if faced with choppy, windy conditions where you are paddling long and hard from one side of your board, pressing down on the board rail in a funny angle can lend to knee irritation. This is especially taxing to the knee compartment if the tendons and supportive muscles and ligaments are weak and not trained properly.

The knee is the largest joint of the body and is compromised of many muscles, ligaments and tendons that help absorb twisting and shocks, and help brace the body for any abnormal consequences. Tears of the medial, lateral, anterior or posterior ligaments are common knee injuries. In wave paddling, I’ve seen a knee dislocate. This is rare, but happened when I saw a guy paddle into a big wave and all of a sudden his leg simply buckled. Later, I learned that his knee gave way completely due to an unstable knee cap (patella). It literally slid out of its natural groove.

Some folks have mentioned that the outer part of the knee, where the iliotibial band joins, can be sore and painful. Again we find that some of these larger muscles – that are used to taking a lot of the load as you unload the stroke and exit the blade at your feet – can be overstretched and are over active. This then can lead to extreme tightness and underactive inner thigh and adductor muscles.

Also, after multiple Maliko runs, I’ve discovered a twinge of inner knee discomfort on my back carving leg after being in a deep, surf stance position on big drops. Managing a 14ft board is very different, with a lot more property from the center of the board all the way back to the fin vs. a short board, requiring one to really utilize more force production on the knee of the carving leg.

Back:

The back is a really important component to stand up paddling for it also helps stabilize the core and is part of the core. It also helps release and control power and of course keeps you upright for all levels of paddling. Refer to my article: More on the Core for SUP here.

Here, we’ll talk about mainly the lower back since we’ve covered quite a bit on the upper part of the body. Having personally suffered extreme back injuries, SUP has actually really helped me!

The function of the lower back allows for flexibility forward and backward and doesn’t easily tolerate too much twisting.

Most people who paddle may experience low back discomfort usually caused by improper paddle length, poor paddling technique or from other muscle imbalances such as tight hamstrings and hip flexors and weak abdominal muscles, or a combination of all the above.

The spine itself or vertebral column contains the spinal cord and other nerves, along with sponge like discs that can be damaged or pinched in pretty severe wipeouts. Sometimes, no matter how well you train or how strong your core and low back are, things can just happen.

Now that you have a good understanding of the anatomy and how it functions while you paddle, you can learn to safely train to keep your body strong. Accidents, muscle strains, riderless boards torpedoing towards you in the lineup can certainly happen, therefore it’s important to know how to recognize something that may not be right or may even be really, really wrong.

Seeking qualified help is very important. I have an excellent medical team that I trust and go to when I myself or my clients or readers write in with questions. I also keep a well-stocked first aid kit in my truck at all times in case I need to wrap a strain or sprain, or at least help stabilize someone if needed.

Stand up paddling is easy and is typically easy on your body. Being very aware of your body, the muscles that you use when you paddle and being mindful of some possible injuries will simply make you a better paddler. Your body has a lot of moving parts, so in the next article I’m going to show all the cool exercises you can do for each muscle group I mentioned here, to help you potentially avoid injury, keep your body balanced and strong and keep all those part together and intact.

Also, don’t forget we’ll be posting Karen Wrenn’s training strategy too!

SUP wipe out photos by Simone Reddingius

Medical photos courtesy of webmd.com

Suzie Cooney, CPT Naish Team SUP Rider and Owner of Suzie Trains Maui

Follow Suzie on Facebook: SuzieTrainsMaui

Check out all of the new 2012 Naish SUP Boards!  Suzie rides the Hokua, Mana, Nalu & Glide for Maliko Runs.

Disclaimer

All the information presented in the SUP Fitness section of naishsurfing.com is for educational and resource purposes only. It is there to help you make informed decisions about your fitness training. It is not a substitute for, or an addition to, any advice given to you by your physician. Suzie Cooney, CPT, and Naish International strongly recommend that you consult your doctor and get medical approval before beginning any fitness and/or exercise program. You are solely responsible for the way information in SUP Fitness is perceived and utilized and you do so at your own risk. In no way will Suzie Cooney, Naish International or anyone associated with Naish International be held responsible for any injuries or problems that may occur due to the use of this website or the advice contained within.

TweetTaken from the Maui Breakfast Club August 9th, 2011: Suzie Cooney of Suzie Trains Maui, Health & Fitness Segment every Tuesday morning at 7:38 am on KNUI 900 AM.  Listen here: Radio Segment

Throw away the diet books,  thigh blaster or ab roller and if you live near any body of water, hop aboard and paddle to shed unwanted pounds now!

It sounds like an infomercial but I’m really serious. I’ve been helping people shed unwanted weight here on Maui and spreading the word for some time now, on how thousands of people are, as I wrote this article for ATHLETA; are literally  “Sweeping Their Way to Health”. It’s really true. I’m hearing from so many people, besides seeing my clients and others around the world completely transform their bodies; paddling away the fat.

I wanted to share with you a couple nice entries of the many of received on how SUP has literally shaped their lives and bodies. It’s so inspiring and I hope they inspires you or someone you know who would like to enjoy losing unwanted weight. It is possible and it’s fun!

Here, my dear friend and avid paddler Lucija Kordic, from Alameda, California,  braves the chilly waters of the Bay Area and shares, ” My pants fit much differently now and I fit into some of my set-aside size 6 pants. SUP and intervals on the treadmill both make a difference!” Lucija is now training with me with her new SUP Endurance Program designed to help her improve her paddling strength and endurance for long distance racing.  Go Lucy go! See you on Maui soon!

If you live in the Bay Area and want to get to know some paddle buddies, Lucija organizes casual paddling groups and is the ultimate host. This I’ve experienced myself. You can hook up with her group at: http://Meet.Up.com/East-Bay-SUP

I’ve received so many emails on how stand up paddling, also known as “SUP” is changing people’s lives and it just so happens that one of the keen health benefits is amazing weight loss. I’m not just talking loss of pounds, but more like shedding their old ways.

I’ve always encouraged my clients and everyone to find a sport, especially SUP, to enhance their current training as a cross training tool. What happens more times than not, is it becomes an obsession!   Wow.  Besides having to throw away hard earned money on marriage counselors, maybe a new pair of $80 Spanx, the moderate investment of one or two boards, paddles, leashes and some sunscreen can also result in relationship bonding. SUP is so easy, couples are losing weight together AND getting quality time paddling off into the sunset.

I’ve always found that most of my clients and people who write me, have had the light turn on in their lives with SUP. They have found their calling and are so taken with the sport, it consumes every waking hour. Now they have racks on their cars, very cool, hang out at the local SUP shop and talk “board talk” or what event they may register in, or simply enjoy the “healthy” camaraderie that develops along with wonderful new friendships.

This sport is very contagious and what comes along with is the healthy lifestyle. What a great bonus. As one develops their love for SUP, unknowingly, because your total body is getting a continuous workout; one can easily start to notice remarkable changes in their body. What is commonly noticed first, is one’s core strength. I’ve written so many articles about the power of the core for SUP, and how to train your core to get stronger to paddle stronger, it’s truly the first thing that people always say, “Wow it really works my core.”

In Redding, way North of my hometown, Sacramento, California  lives Matt Ivey, very new to SUP and boy does he have the stoke and has he

Matt Ivey Looking Great!

gotten in great shape!  He says he was his wife’s ginny pig and suggested he do SUP with her while she was pregnant and suggested that he join  her too. Read the rest to see how he lost 10 lbs and also learn how SUP helped him manage some pretty serious injuries he had. He’s got big plans to grow SUP in his life and business.

Matt writes:

Suzie,

I just got into SUP about a month ago and I am totally hooked.  I have lost about 10 lbs and my core/lower back are feeling the increase in strength.  I love is so much my wife and I are adding SUP rentals, ecotours, lessons, and fitness/yoga classes.  My wife is 20 weeks pregnant and she is a manager of a gymnastics gym.  She has been using the SUP to stay in shape while she is pregnant and has been working on a fitness program.  So that means I have been her ginny pig when it comes to testing her exercises on someone.  I also like my alone time so every other day I have been paddling upstream on a local river for a hour.

I come from a background of playing sports and lifting heavy weights.   Over the past 6 years I have broken and dislocated my left ankle, separated my right shoulder, tore one of the heads of my left bicep, broke my right thumb, and sprained my right mcl.  I also have several degenerative disks in my back so needless to say I can no longer  play the sports I once loved.

But what that also meant is that I could no longer lift weights in the gym.  This lead to me becoming frustrated and out of shape.  After relocating to a new town and stumbling on SUP (we had seen it on Maui 3 years ago but were more concerned with surfing) I was instantly hooked.

In fact I even had my wife take a before photo so I have something I can compare it to after I feel like I have reached my goal.  I have also been incorporating a slackline into my balance and core training.   Between the SUP and Slackline I feel like I have found a great routine that works for me.

I could chat all day about SUP and what it has done for me mentally and physically.  Both my wife and I have out degrees in Recreation Administration and Business so we are looking forward to putting our education and experience to use helping others share the passion we have for SUP.  We have been following you and all that you have done for the SUP industry.  Thanks for all of the inspiration and knowledge you share so well.

Matt Ivey
Adventure Recreation LLC
530-255-4505 Business
707-321-7224 Cell
adventurerecreation.co  ( this is not a typo )

Thanks so much Lucija and Matt, and to the many others that wrote me and shared their SUP weight loss stories. As SUP grows so does the opportunity for more people to get fit and healthy. I really encourage those new to the sport to take the opportunity and feel and experience what all the buzz is about. As I always say, SUP will change your life.

To see all of my articles about how to get stronger for the sport of SUP, go to:

http://www.naishsurfing.com/sup-fitness/

If you’re on Maui in early November, stay tuned for more details on my SUP Cross Enduro Beach and Water Fun Fitness Challenge!

Paddle in good health friends,

Suzie Cooney, CPT owner of Suzie Trains Maui

See Naish SUP Team Profile here: http://www.naishsurfing.com/team/suzie-cooney/

I ride Naish boards. The line up for 2012 is  unreal! We’ll have up to 31 boards like last year and the lines, designs and graphics are killer. I’m so stoked for the winter, monster swells and for some exciting Maliko runs. Check out the current line up here:

http://www.naishsurfing.com/boards/

For Beginners to Advanced Paddlers
by Suzie Cooney, CPT of Suzie Trains Maui and Naish Team SUP Rider

Recommended Equipment: INDO Board Gigante Disc, INDO Board Pro Board or Ying & Yang (as pictured below), TRX Rip Trainer (I use the heavier chord in this training series). Select a sturdy object to secure your TRX cord to the ground. For this series, I attached it to a stake in the sand. The combination of INDO Board Gigante Disc with the Ying & Yang board, in addition to the TRX Rip Trainer requires unique training, just like stand up paddling.  This is a functional and dynamic workout to the highest degree. Since the core is what stabilizes us while paddling, we now have a power source delivered through the core and transferred directly to our stroke.  Like Dave, I need to drive home the idea that there’s more to the “core” than just abs. It’s absolutely everything, and I mean everything, excluding your arms and legs – but not to say that your arms and legs don’t help to stabilize you as you paddle. When I’m on the water or in the studio teaching people how to really engage their core, I take the time to break down their stroke as well. Then, when the light goes on and they have an “ah ha” moment, it’s cool. Connecting the dots from the top of your stroke, through your bottom shoulder, leading hip and finally passing through your core to the blade as you exit your feet, finally makes sense when you have more paddle power from the strength of your body. This comes from specific strength training for SUP and it’s what we’re going to do right now in these exercises. Progression Variables: Floor to sand, traditional paddling stance to surf stance, discs under INDO board, less air (easier)-more air (faster action) in discs, light – medium TRX chord to heavier gauge TRX chord, speed of stroke, reach distance, slower-faster paced, number of strokes per side, change stance position during set. Exercise 1: Power Strokes: Regular Stance, Feet on Ground

Progression 1: Regular Stance, Unstable Platform:  INDO Board Gigante Disc (inflated halfway), while standing on Ying & Yang Board. My reach here is a little further towards “the nose” and again, my core is fully engaged. Progression 2: Slightly Staggered Stance, Unstable Platform: (you can also practice this on the ground)  When you are on the water and the waves or wind chop gets bigger, or as you approach a turn, you may be shifting your weight and stance. Just like changing where you stand on your board to increase board speed or rail pressure, a slight change in your stance will affect your stroke power. Now try shifting your back foot ( I’m regular, so my right foot goes back ) slightly behind your front foot. This requires a bit more effort: Progression 3: Surf Stance:    Now you’re starting to get some nice glides, or you’re pumping faster to catch some waves, so let’s get into full surf stance and dig in! I love this. Again, visualization training (see my article here ) really works. Load your iPod, crank it up and start training. Visualize yourself being incredibly powerful and catching every glide, every wave and maybe passing a competitor or two. Also, try shifting more of your weight onto your front foot and try quick, short strokes, matching your breathing to each stroke. Click on the photo for a larger view. TweetI hope this series on paddling with power will take you many miles across the water. These tips will help you improve your endurance, increase your power, step into small and big waves and build your confidence as well as enhance your current level of fitness for SUP. Get out there and rip it up!  Check out my recent article on Maliko Gulch: Know Before you GoI’d like to give a special photo credit to Simone Reddingius: downwind paddler, amazing surfer, and Maui photographer who has recently been published in Stand Up Journal Magazine. See more of Simone’s work here: http://beachgirlmaui.blogspot.com/Aloha, Suzie To see all of her articles for Naish International and this one click here.  For more information and tips from Suzie Cooney go to: www.standuppaddlingfitness.com and follow Suzie Trains Maui on Facebook or @suzietrainsmaui on Twitter. Disclaimer All the information presented in the SUP Fitness section of naishsurfing.com is for educational and resource purposes only. It is there to help you make informed decisions about your fitness training. It is not a substitute for, or an addition to, any advice given to you by your physician. Suzie Cooney, CPT, and Naish International strongly recommend that you consult your doctor and get medical approval before beginning any fitness and/or exercise program. You are solely responsible for the way information in SUP Fitness is perceived and utilized and you do so at your own risk. In no way will Suzie Cooney, Naish International or anyone associated with Naish International be held responsible for any injuries or problems that may occur due to the use of this website or the advice contained within.

For Stronger Stand Up Paddling
by Suzie Cooney, CPT of Suzie Trains Maui and Naish Team SUP Rider.

photo by Naish: Suzie Cooney

Property of Naish International and Suzie Cooney

To see all of the exercises for this article go to: http://www.naishsurfing.com/sup-fitness/

Suzie is available on the island of Maui for private training and SUP Instruction/ Modeling /Clinics & Events. Inquiries: email  suzie@suzietrainsmaui.com
Permission required to use any photos/copy or material.

      Get your INDO Board Training Gear and the Gigante disc:

This is the final series on Leg Strength for stand up paddling:

Last Week: Strengthening Balance Exercises for your Legs    Also: Leg Stabilizing Exercises for Better Board Control

Power Exercises:   To See Suzie’s entire article: http://www.naishsurfing.com/sup-fitness/legs-power/

Training for power comes with time and one should have a pretty good base of fitness before attempting some of these exercises. Extra precautions should be warranted to those who may have ankle weakness or other orthopedic challenges. You may have heard of plyometrics, which refers to very powerful, 2 legged, explosive like exercises that help speed and power.

Training Note: It’s your choice if you wear shoes or not, or if you train on an unstable surface such as the beach (which is more challenging). I try to train barefoot so that I can mimic the feel of the board. If working with weights, be careful not to drop them on your feet! Everyone’s training needs and experience will vary, so the number of sets/reps you perform is up to you. Typically, if you are just starting out, try 1-3 sets with 10-12 reps each, making sure you are always in perfect form.

Exercise 1: Box Drops
Equipment: Box or stable platform (24-29 inches off ground)

 This powerful exercise can be a great cardio blast too. You can increase the difficulty by changing the speed or height of the box or platform you are jumping to. I suggest not standing too far away from the box or too close; about 12 inches away from the box seems to work well.

 For Exercise 3 & 4  go to: http://www.naishsurfing.com/sup-fitness/legs-power/

For more information and tips from Suzie Cooney go to: www.suzietrainsmaui.com
and follow Suzie Trains Maui on Facebook or @suzietrainsmaui on Twitter.